This invention relates in general to bipolar electrosurgical instruments, and in particular to a bipolar electrosurgical instrument for open surgery and having both cutting and coagulating properties.
The benefits of bipolar electrosurgical instruments are well recognized within the medical profession. In particular, a bipolar instrument provides a physician with greater control over the location of electrical activity within a patient during a surgical procedure. As opposed to a monopolar device, which requires a base plate electrode usually situated at a remote location from the surgery site and therefore requiring passage of current through a portion of the body of the patient, a bipolar device confines electrical activity at the site of the surgical procedure.
While electrosurgical scalpels and electrosurgical coagulating forceps are presently available, a single bipolar instrument which permits a physician to selectively cut or coagulate tissue can provide much greater versatility in achieving timely treatment in electrosurgical procedures.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an electrosurgical instrument for open surgery which is capable of cutting and coagulating tissue to be so treated.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electrosurgical instrument for open surgery which permits a user to select a cutting action or a coagulation action.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrosurgical instrument for open surgery wherein one electrode activates a cutting wire and one forceps jaw paddle of the two paddle coagulation forceps, while another electrode activates the second jaw paddle to thereby create bipolarity.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.